Aeroplane



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AEROPLANE..

APPLICATION HLED APFLQ, 39H?- @mmm my @W MM titl Nrreo STATES 4intra frw -cnnrsrornnn nonsnr watson, orrrritanatrnra, rana-artnr.

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.To all whom twenty concern Be it lrnown that I, lnnisrorrrna R. WiL-son a citizenk of the United States, residing la riaiaaeipha, in a@County i' reisaaphia and `Fatate of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Aieroplanes, of which "the following isa.

specification. U

This invention relates toimprovements in aeroplanes and moreparticularly to that type provided with a helicopter adapted to act notonly as a safety device in landing but also to aid in leaving the`ground and to a certain extent provide for hovering,

One ofthe objects of the present invention is to provide an attachmentfor aeroplanes of the above general character having relatively fewparts which may be inexpensively manufactured and installed.

A. further-object is to provide a device of the above character whichmay be easily controlled and thrown intoandout of action as desired andwill to a certain extent be automatic in its operation especially whenacting as a safety device in landing.

A. further object is to provide a reliable and efficient device of theabove character i which will materially aid in the initial tilllaunching of the aeroplane, as well as to permit. hovering of theaeroplane above a predetermined object.

@their objects will be in" part obvious and in part hereinafter pointedout.

` lin order that a clearer perception of the` present invention may beobtained a drawing depicting a preferred form of the invention isherewith incorporated to form part of this specification and in theseveral views lilre reference numerals denote corresponding parts.

ln this drawing Figure 1 is a semi-diagrammatioplan view of a .portionof an aeroplane with the attachment applied tl il lili thereto; Fig. 2is a side elevational view,y

partly in section, showing the device in operating position, and Fig. 3is a detail per` epective view.

ReferringI now to the drawings in detail 't denotes a source of power'orengine provided with a shaft 6 and-opeller 7. A portion of a wing isindicate at 8 with the attachment centrally disposed in an opening'therein. The wing maybe of any desire shape., and while herein shown theattachnient is centrally applied with respect to the machine it is ofcourse to be understood that `to show such an arrangenientinA detail.

This attachment comprises a frameworkL 10 having a central strut Hand adepending transverse strut 12 together forming-'aboarving for a two partshaft 13 centrally disposed thereon. The lower part of this shaft 1sprovided' with ay pinion la adapted to mesh with a pinion 15 carried ona 'stub Pateted duly 9 19%@ Application fled April a. 1919. SerialHartnett. i

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shaft 16. This shaft 16, as well as the main shaft G, is provided withintermeshing gears 17 whereby power is transmitted from the shaft 6 tothe shaft 13.

Above the shaft 13 is the second shaft 1d adapted to be driven from theshaft 13 on throwing in a clutch 20. The shaft 18 is provided at itsupper end `with ball governers 21 connected by means of adjustable links22 with a sleevey 23 shown in detaily in Fig. 3. This sleeve is providedwith notches 2li on the sides of which are racks 25 adapt ttl edto coactwith pinions 26 on propeller blades 27. These bladesare mounted. in asuitable bracket 28 and on rotation of the pinions 26 the propellerblades will feather in the `proper direction to exert or retard aircurrents either upwardly or downwardly as desired.

lt will of course be understood that the clutch is actuated by anysuitable form of mechanism such as indicated by the lever 30. This leverhas its end connected with othermechanism, not shown, as may be necesaryto be conveniently operated .by the pi ot.

The operation of this mechanism is substantially as follows: @n startingthe aeroplane the lever 30 is actuated to throw the clutch intoengagement, thereby to rotate the propeller 27. The speed with whichlll@ slowly the propellers will be feathered in the opposite direction.

While the machine is in flight the clutch may be thrown in at any timeif so desired and the propellers will act to direct the strong downwardcurrent downwardly, thereby allowing the machine to hover or remain moreor less stationarily suspended in air.

From the above it will be seen that the present invention provides asimple and practical attachment for aeroplanes adapted to accomplish,among others, all of the objects and advantages herein set forth.

` I realize that considerable variation is possible in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spiritof my invention, and I therefore do not int-end to limit myself to thespecie form shown and described.

I claim:

1. In combination with an aeroplane having a stationary wing supportingsurface, a source of power, a main driving shaft and a driving propellerthereon, of an attachment for said stationary wing supporting surfacemounted in an opening formed in. said surface, said attachmentcomprising a `)ropeller mounted for rotation in the plane of the wingsupporting surface, a shaft carrying said propeller, means connectingsaid shaft to said main driving shaft and means for feathering theblades of said propeller automatically in proportion to the speed of thesource of power.

2. In combination with an aeroplane having a stationary wing supportingsurface,^a source of power, a main driving shaft and a driving propellerthereon, of an attachment for said stationary wing supporting surface`mounted in an opening formed in said surface, said attachmentcomprising a propeller for rotation in the plane of the wing supportingsurface, a two part shaft, one of which carries the said last mentionedpropeller and one of which is connected with said main driving shaft atwill, and' means for feathering the blade of said last-mentionedpropeller automatically in proportion to the speed of the main source ofpower.

3. In combination with en aeroplane having a stationary wing supportingsurface, a source of power, a main driving shaft and a driving propellerthereon, of an attachment for said stationary wing supporting surfacemounted in an opening formed in said surface, said attachment comprisinga propeller mounted for rotation in the plane of the wing supportingsurface, a two part shaft, one of which carries said last meutionedpropeller, and one of which is counected with said main driving shaft atwill, and means for feathering the blades of said last mentionedpropeller according to the speed of the main source of power, said meanscomprising an automatically actuating governor'.

Lil. In combination with an aeroplane having a stationary wingsupporting surface, a source of power, a main driving shaft and adriving propeller thereon, of an attachnient for said stationary wingsupporting surface mounted in an opening formed in said surface, saidattachment comprising a propeller mounted for rotation in the plane ofthe wing supporting surface, a shaft upon which said last-mentionedpropeller is mounted, a second shaft adapted to he counected to saidlast-mentioned shaft. and driven from the main'driving shaft, a clutchforming said connecting means adapted to be manually operated at will,and an automatically acting governor mounted on said last-namedpropeller-carrying shaft, and a rack-equipped sleeve connected forvertical movement with said propeller and eoacting with piiiions on thepropeller blades to automatically feather the same in proportion to thespeed of the main source of power.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

CHRISTOPHER ROBERT WILSON.

Iitnesses KATHRYN ALLIsoN, HARvEY IV. Horan.

